Dec 07, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has left for Indonesia Wednesday to attend the 4th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF IV) that will be held on December 8 – 9, 2011 at Bali International Convention Center (BICC) in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia.

President’s Media Unit said the President left this morning to attend the forum on a special invitation from his Indonesian counterpart Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The theme of the BDF IV is “Enhancing Democratic Participation in a Changing World: Responding to Democratic Voices”.

This year’s forum will focus on efforts towards enhanced people participation by way of responding to democratic voices, and relevant issues involved in the process.

This year 15 heads of states in the region are expected to attend the forum, along with 54 participating countries from the Asia Pacific region, and 66 countries and international organizations attending as observers.

Initiating a learning and sharing process among countries in Asia as a strategy towards the maintenance of peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond, is the main goal of the BDF.

In addition, BDF’s common goals and objectives include placing democracy as a strategic agenda in regional discourse in Asia and forging closer understanding and cooperation among participating countries of the BDF while establishing a regional cooperation forum that promotes political development through dialogue and sharing of experience that is aimed at strengthening democratic institutions.